Haidilao Restaurant Chain Offers Compensation After Viral Urination Incident

The Chinese hotpot giant apologized and pledged refunds after two teens urinated into a hotpot at a Shanghai location, sparking public outrage.

A video showing two 17-year-olds urinating into a hotpot at a Haidilao restaurant in Shanghai went viral, causing widespread disgust and backlash.
Haidilao confirmed the incident occurred on February 24, 2025, and announced legal action against the offenders, who are in police custody.
The restaurant chain has pledged to compensate over 4,100 affected customers with full refunds and an additional payment of ten times the refund amount.
Critics on Chinese social media accused Haidilao of delaying its apology and mishandling the situation, further damaging its reputation.
Food safety scandals remain a sensitive issue in China, despite improvements since past incidents, including the 2008 tainted milk formula crisis.